7 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Fence
You may have reached the ultimate American dream: your own house, and a white picket fence. But unfortunately, that white picket fence won’t stay perfect forever.
Whether it’s from wear and tear, or accidental damage, your fence may need to be replaced at some point. Below are 7 signs you need a fence replacement.
1. There Are Holes
Have the boards on your fence started looking a bit polka-dotty? Then these holes are most likely caused by insects or other animals taking chunks out of your fence.
Whether it’s termites or mice, you may have bigger issues on your hand than only fence replacement. Have an exterminator come and do a thorough check of your property to find out what’s causing the holes in your fence.
Once you’ve taken care of that, then you can move on with replacing your fence. If you replace it before you’ve gotten rid of your pests, you’re throwing money down the drain. They’ll come right back and ruin your new investment.
2. The Wood’s Splintered
It may not look like much, and you might think it’s mainly an aesthetic problem you can paint over, but think again. This deceivingly small issue is actually a larger one at hand.
Along with splintering often comes cracking in the wood. If you see both on your fence, then it’s a sign that the wood will fall apart and destroy your fence very soon.
When you notice splintering and cracking, make sure you call a fencing company so you can have a newer and safer one put in as soon as possible.
3. Your Fence Is Leaning Over
Every time your fences lean or fall over, you keep standing them back up. Not only is this a pain to do repeatedly, but it’s also a health hazard.
Leaning fences indicate that there are more serious underlying problems, and they can end in your fence completely toppling over. If yours is leaning, it can be indicative of weak fence posts. Another thing it might be is warped or broken boards.
Regarding either problem, it may save you both time and money to just replace the whole thing instead of trying to repair it.
4. There Are Missing Boards
Over time, the boards on your fence may start getting loose and eventually, they fall off. While the fence is still standing right now, it’s probably structurally compromised, and it can fall at any second.
This can be especially dangerous if you have children or pets that play in the yard often. Plus, it detracts from the attractiveness of your backyard.
Your boards may also be damaged due to accidents, such as brushes with the weed trimmer. Or fallout from weather, like a tree falling over and breaking your fence.
If there’s damage to your fence, you’ll have to get a brand new one since it can be so bad repairs aren’t possible. If it doesn’t look safe, then don’t chance it. Keep your family safe and secure by getting a new fence altogether.
5. The Wood’s Rotting
If you live in an area where it rains a lot, you may be seeing either yellow or gray stains on your fence. Seeing either color means the wood in your fence is rotting; there’s likely to be mold growing on it too. Unfortunately, you can’t really do anything about it besides replace your entire fence.
To prevent this from happening again in the future, you might want to consider a different type of material for your fence, such as treated lumber. It may cost you more upfront, but you won’t have to replace your fence as often, which will end up saving you money in the long run.
6. You Can See Your Neighbors
And they can see you. It can get awkward, especially if one of you wants to enjoy the yard and can’t get any much-needed privacy.
Not only do you suffer from lack of privacy, but you may have to worry about lost pets too. If the fence isn’t high enough, your dog or cat may be able to climb it and get out whenever it wants.
Avoid all these headaches and just replace your fence completely. This time around, make sure you talk with the fencing company thoroughly about what your desires are. That way, they can work with you to put a fence up that ticks all the boxes on your checklist.
7. Too Many Repairs Piling Up
If it seems like you’re calling people for repairs every other day, then it may be time to retire your current fence. You might be in denial about it and think, “one more repair, and it’ll be good to go.” But the reality is, it’s in desperate need of replacement.
Take a good look at how much you’ve spent on repairs in the last few months, or even the last year. If the total’s nearing four figures, or it’s already passed it, then you should’ve gotten a fence replacement a long time ago. You’ve got to let go of the old, and usher in the new.
Get a Fence Replacement When Necessary
At some point, you’re going to have to give up on the repairs and get a fence replacement. In the long run, getting a replacement instead of keeping up with repairs will save you money.
Not only will you get a brand-new fence that’s better looking, you’ll also get another chance to maintain your fence to the best of your abilities to keep it from deteriorating. Avoid your mistakes with the last one, and the new fence will surely last for years.
If you need someone to replace your fence in the Tampa Bay or Polk County areas, then get in touch with us today.